SIR MARK SOLOMON

Sir Mark talks of the kuaka as a marker post of spring. He says that in that regard it is like the titi – the mutton bird. In light of its extraordinary journey Sir Mark says, “There is a bit of kaha in that species. It needs to be looked up to.”

He says that the kuaka provides a good analogy for whanau. It arrives and then moves off again as part of a whanau group. Within the group everyone has a role to play, just like on the marae. At times people lead from the front, on the paepae, other times they are out the back. It is rotational leadership just like the kuaka.